


Ghost

by blackstar5432



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Gay Disaster Amity Blight, I made Camilia a doctor because I can, Luz Noceda Needs a Hug, Luz is OOC at the beginning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26566873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackstar5432/pseuds/blackstar5432
Summary: “What do you want Luz? Because I need to know” Camilia asked, the question dropped between them “I know things aren’t good for you at the current school, and I think this could be a good thing for you, but I refuse to force you into something you don’t want to do again.”“I’m not sure, what I want” Luz said evenly “But I’ll go if you want me to”AU Where "reality check summer camp" didn't have the intended effect that Camilia had hoped, so when Luz gets accepted into an Advanced Course High School she jumps at the opportunity to enroll her
Relationships: Amity Blight/Luz Noceda
Comments: 51
Kudos: 220





	1. Most Things Haven't Worked Out

Luz fiddled at the edges of her sleeves trying carefully to avoid noticing the tight collared shirt and tie around her neck. She walked in with her mom to an office that seemed warm and welcoming, scholarly even. There were two comfortable chairs front of a thick mahogany desk, and the perimeter the surrounded by massive mess bookshelves filled with bent paperbacks that had clearly been heavily read.

Luz eyed the man in front of them wearily. Principal Bump was not like any of the previous principals she had known. Those other ones usually looked down on here, with their scrunched faces and over-worked brows, although to be fair most of those other times had involved her being in trouble. In contrast he looked warm and relaxed and almost grandfatherly, he sat there with his hands intertwined into each other.

“It’s a pleasure that you could join me today Dr. and miss Noceda” He finally stood calmly ushering the mother and daughter carefully into the room as they closed the door behind them.

“The pleasure is all mine Dr. Bump” Her mother spoke up first sending her hand out to shake his own “Although I must admit I was quite surprised from receiving your offer in the mail asking for an interview so soon to the new school year” 

“Yes” Bump’s eyes flickered to Luz for a moment “I must simply apologize for that; our administrators do like to take their time regarding the applications, I do want to clarify that Luz has already been accepted to Hexside with scholarship” 

“What about the interview?” Camilia asked with a tone of surprise

“A mere formality” He added calmly “At this part in the process we’re fairly certain on our applicants. I just personally like to go through each parent and student at the beginning of the year, here at Hexside Academy we like to try and tailor the experience to them as best we can.” 

The mother and daughter glanced at each other confused for a moment 

Bump clarified “At Hexside we believe that interviews, while useful in developing a rapport and profile of our prospective students, are not an entirely important metric with which to base entry level performance on. Not everyone is a social creature.” He turned to Luz now.

She sat poised and composed, not a single hair out of place, in a conservative white collared shirt, with a plain long pencil skirt that even now didn’t seem to suit her, yet it was the one she had chosen.

“Now Luz, what could you tell me about yourself?”

“Well sir” Luz began “I’ve currently just completed middle school, and am about to enter high school,” She paused “I’ve been put into my school’s gifted course, and as of this year I’m currently at the top of my class, my GPA is-”

“No, I’m very aware of your excellent grades”, Bump interrupted casually “I can already see that from your application. I think you misunderstood the question; it is more personal in nature; would you happen to have a favorite course?” Bump asked 

“No sir, I can’t say whether I prefer one course over the other, however I can do or learn anything required of me” Luz answered honestly “Although I am particularly skilled at science and mathematics which are practical fields”

“How about any extracurricular interests then?”

“Could you clarify by interest’s sir?” Luz responded 

He smiled warmly “Of course what do you enjoy? What do you do in your spare time, hobbies, fun other interests, that sort of thing?”

Luz was notably lacking in the specific interest’s department. Her daughter, while academically successful, hadn’t seemed interested in anything since that horrid camp. 

“I study for my courses sir; I also play piano” her daughter began explaining her skill with the instrument. Camilia resisted a sigh, the piano lessons were another attempt to get her daughter out of the house in the past year. They were something her daughter continued to do with an almost robotic degree of precision, but no particular joy. 

Luz would practice for the select time which she was told by her instructor only repeating the songs and exercises which she was told to. It was hard to describe, now that Camilia thought about it, but it was like she had no passion for it, no song she wanted to play, no chords she wanted to learn, beyond that which had been arbitrarily been required by some adult.

In the last year her daughter had become so apathetic, and passive only putting energy toward the things she was told to do… Camilia was shaken out of her thoughts from a compliment from Bump in Luz’s description of her piano playing.

“That’s quite the progression from 3/4ths a year worth of lessons, any particular songs you like to play?” 

“Not particularly sir, I mainly just do my practices” 

Bump smoothly transitioned the conversation not lingering on the piano “Do you have any other interests?”

“I used to do art” her daughter said after considering the question for a moment. “However, I don’t see how that would impact my academics at Hexside” she added mostly to herself.

Camilia held back another grimace, Luz’s artwork had been another casualty of the camp, she had always loved her daughter’s artwork, even if it was a bit strange. Luz would do watercolors of witches and knights, and dragons from that Azura series she had been so fond of.

After the camp things were different, if Luz had picked up a brush or pen since it, she couldn’t remember it. She had even bought her a professional watercolor set for Christmas trying to encourage her back into it.

Currently it sat unused under Luz’s bed. Apparently, the new Luz lacked the ability to do something for fun without a specific lesson or an adult mandating something. 

“That’s wonderful” Bump exclaimed seemingly to finally finds something to interest the other teen “I’m sure you’ll find that Hexside has an avid art department ready to meet any of your needs. Any particular medium you’re fond of?”

“I would do watercolors” Luz responded “but I’m afraid it’s been quite some time since I’ve been able to, I’ve chosen mostly to focus on my practical studies”

If Principal Bump had a reaction to this, he did not show it

“Do you have any long-term interests” He changed to subject a bit “Any dreams or career plans?”

“I wouldn’t say anything specific sir, I suppose I would like the be a doctor of some sort, if that is possible”

“What interests you about being a doctor, why do you want to become one?” Bump asked causally

This line of questioning seemed to surprise Luz; Camilia noted seeing the slight widening of her eyes, pausing for a faint moment. But her daughter quickly regained composure thinking for a moment.

“Because it’s something useful”

The rest of the interview proceeded much in the same manner, with the Principal asking Luz about various things such as interests and experiences although Camilia could tell her daughter was mostly aiming towards the answers she thought Bump wanted to hear. 

The principal held a note pad to his side occasionally jotting something down. This wasn’t what either of them were expecting still it was going well, Camilia had even noticed the Luz had finally relaxed a bit.

Nowadays she always seemed tense around adults.

So far Luz help manage to satisfy every one of the Principal’s answers with a poised response.

“There is one small thing I did want to inquire on” Bump added “I see here in our records that she has attended one ‘Reality Check Summer Camp’ last summer, I wanted to know your thoughts on that Luz”

Luz felt her body tense and looked over slightly to her mother noticing the almost imperceptible twitch on her mother’s face. 

“Luz has always been academically gifted” Camilia began explaining immediately “She’s just some difficult focusing in the past….”

Bump held up his hand in response “Please Dr. Noceda”, He responded gently “I wanted to hear from Luz”

Dr. Noceda saw her daughter look down at the floor resting her hands off her knees in front of her, struggling to make eye contact. “What my mother said was right” she murmured “previous to that camp I had difficulties in my studies as a result of distraction I was also weird, this camp taught me how to be a normal person”. She was stiff in her response; the room had turned tense all of a sudden

Camilia glanced back at the principal noticing a brief small frown grace his face for the first time that meeting, it was almost as if in confirmation of something, but it disappeared quickly was hardly noticeable, and quickly replaced with the warm smile that he had worn throughout. 

Luz managed to look into his eyes now, putting on the best mask she could “That phase of my life is behind me now, I can do what is required of me”

Principal Bump jotted something down in his notes, it seemed to take longer than usual. The scratch of the pen on paper echoed out across the office almost as if he was circling something. 

He looked back up grinning again, “Well I think you’ll find here at Hexside, should you choose to go here, there’ll certainty be some acceptable weirdness Miss Noceda”

“I will keep that in mind sir” Another moment passed between the trio before principal Bump finally stood up, and Luz and Dr. Noceda followed him.

“Well I thank you both for meeting me today” Bump began “And I hope to see you join us and Hexside here Luz” He addressed the young teen

“Thank you, sir,” her daughter responded

Camilia spoke up now shaking the principal’s hand “Thank you for having us, we will get back to you on our final decision shortly”

The rest of the tour went well, with various administrators guided them around the well-manicured campus, with old growth oaks, and magnolias. The crisp white stucco buildings matched the magnolia blooms and the white stood out against the landscape. The cafeteria looked incredible, and the meal they had there tasted amazing. The dorms even looked spotless. There were staff moving around everywhere seemingly putting the last few touches before students moved onto the property.

Camilia recognized that there was old money here. This place was nicer than her undergrad and her medical school.

Whenever she turned to Luz though, she couldn’t fail to grasp the almost imperceptible look of worry that graced her daughter’s face.

The car ride home was tense, the school was a good three hours away from their home. Luz sat in the back seat staring silently out the window, watching the seemingly endless line of trees fly by her 

“So, Luz dear” Camilia finally spoke up glancing up at her daughter in the back mirror

“Yes mother?” She responded

“What did you think of the school, would you want to go there? Dr. Bump seemed very accommodating”

Her daughter shrugged in the back seat “I’ve already been accepted there” she said ignoring the question “There’s nothing I can do about it anyway if you want me to get there”

Her mother pushed further “Well I think this is an opportunity, but I want to leave the decision up to you” She paused trying to let the words sink into her daughter “Ever since whatever happened at that camp- “

“I’ve already told you” Luz responded with a bit more force for the first time that day “Nothing happened at that camp”

The air between them was sharp. “Regardless,” Her mother continued trying to hold back her frustration “I forced you to go to that place, I believe that was a mistake. This is a big decision; I just want you to have some input on this mija” Camilia had desperation in her voice.

Her daughter finally looked at her, Camilia noted through the mirror a momentary look of hurt flashing through her face, her fists were clinched, and her breathing was faster “I’m sorry I don’t want to talk about this right now I have a headache”

Camilia sighed in a huff finally letting off and turning her focus back to the road ahead of her. She cursed that camp, Luz always tried to evade her whenever it was brought up. Usually she would claim a stomachache or headache, or she just wasn’t feeling well.

It had been like this for the last year, something had clearly happened there. Camilia just didn’t know how to get her daughter to talk to her about it.

“Do you want me to stop the car?”

“No” Her daughter was looking back out the window once more “I’ll be fine till we get home”

The rest of the car ride was uneventful, and dinner was even less so. Camilia moved quick to check her laptop and see if she had received any emails from her patients, while Luz did the dishes. 

She caught her daughter after dishes trying to rush off to her room. “Luz” She called out her. She paused before standing to look fully to look at her mother.

“Yes ma’am” she responded softly

She patted to the space next to her on the couch “Come over here mija”

She trotted over sitting stiffly, she had gotten a lot less affectionate since the camp too… 

“What do you want Luz? Because I need to know” Camilia asked, the question dropped between them clattering awkwardly “I know things aren’t good for you at the current school, I know you don’t have any friends there, I think this could be a good thing for you, but I refuse to force you into something you don’t want to do again.”

“I’m not sure, what I want” Luz said evenly “But I’ll go”.


	2. The Maps They Sent To Us Don't Mention Lost Coastlines

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the 2nd chapter enjoy!

The next two weeks passed by in a blur to Luz, full of meetings with her current school, packing for school, and Target trips for anything else she might need. Luz had organized everything she needed into a simple to do list.

She tried her best not to think about leaving, though deep down she felt the all too familiar feeling of dread. For now, she pushes it down, pretends it doesn’t exist, focuses on what she’ll need for school.

The alarm strikes up early the morning she’s stated to leave, at around 4 in the morning, a horrible time by any measure but especially bad if you’re intending to move.

Luz stalked down the stairs, her mother had a late shift last night, and was probably still asleep, she was usually the one to wake Camilia up rather than an alarm clock anyway.

She was surprised to find her mother awake and already in the kitchen, frying up some canoas de platanos maduros. The plantains, ground beef and veggies all mixed together with yellow rice a green sauce and topped with a fried egg.

They were her favorite, Luz’s stomach growled.

Camilia, hearing Luz, turned and smiled “I wanted you to have one last taste of home before you finally left mija!” She served up a plate on the table before severing herself up some coffee. “Its been awhile since I’ve been able to find time to cook” she said mostly to herself.

Breakfast was uneventful, defined by the slight uncomfortable silence which had marked their relationship for the past year. Luz moved her fork through the egg watching the yolk drain across the section of plantain before elegantly forking it into her mouth pausing a moment to enjoy the taste.

All at once a sense of nostalgia hit her, as she looked back up at her mother, Luz was leaving her again. Even though Luz was uncomfortable with her, she was all Luz had left.

This time it felt different than when she left for the camp, the dread was higher, maybe because this time Luz understood that she was losing something. The smiling girl a year ago, with her cat hoodies and snakes that she had found while playing in the local creek, didn’t fundamentally understand how much of herself, she was going to lose. 

Although truth be told this time she had a lot less to lose.

So why was she so scared?

Today was different than going off to that camp, it was a bit more celebratory? It felt that way at least. Maybe the context was different; she wasn’t being directly punished this time she figured.

A hand on her shoulder pushed her out of her thoughts with a jolt, it was her mother she looked worried.

“You okay mjia?” Her mother asked, she seemed to be speaking slowly to Luz “You looked like you were too deep in your head again”

But if there was one thing she had been taught to do; it was how to be perfect. 

“I’m fine mother” She responded trying her best to put on the most reassuring face she could think of. Her mother…. didn’t look really reassured but at the very least she dropped the subject.

The feelings still pricked at her though, twisting themselves onto each other, they were uncomfortable, so Luz tried to ignore them.

After finishing breakfast, she went back upstairs to her room, it was a tidy utilized space. Her bed sat in the back corner neatly made up from when she had woken up, it was flanked by a dresser and a desk. The walls were mostly empty as was the top of the dresser. The desk was still neatly organized from when she had used it last with a lamp and crisp paper lined up waiting to be used.

The entire space used to be so, unorganized, filled with endless pickle jars and plastic bins containing the latest bug or snake she found in the woods. Once she had even caught a black widow spider as a kid, her mother had nearly grounded her for a week when she had found it in a jar, knowing full well what it was.

The desk had at one point been messy with paints and art supplies string around it in the latest unfinished drawing that she had tried to put together.

All of those things had of course been removed since they were clearly distractions

Now everything was neat and tidy in the room, everything had its own place and location and it bothered her slightly if they weren’t left in those exact locations. It was as if the color had drained slowly in the past year, drowned in a cacophony of textbooks, notes, and supplementary materials.

‘Anything to be perfect.’

She shoved the summer camp’s logo out of her head looking at herself in the mirror, eventually deciding she looked put together enough. However maybe it was because she was especially contemplative today due to the circumstances, but Luz lingered just a touch longer at her reflection.

Her hair was slicked and organized from when she had combed it this morning, she wore a pair of simple black pants along with a white dress shirt. She looked neat, and composed. 

It wasn’t going to be like the last time she left, she told herself, looking away for a moment.

This time she would be ready. She clenched her fist looking back at the mirror.

Perhaps it was the nostalgic feeling that she had at the time, but Luz couldn't help to notice she didn't look all too happy.

Like many things these days, she didn’t really think all too much about happiness.

She looked around the room one last time before letting out a sigh heading back down.

Her mother was already waiting for her; the old Subaru Baja hummed in the driveway, its bed filled with a few foot lockers containing the things Luz was taking. The back seats were also filled up with a memory foam comforter an old microwave that was super loud but really good at heating things, and a beat-up coffeemaker.

The three-hour dive was sober for both of them, and Luz could tell her mother was nervous as she was, but both of them seemed determined not to show it. She was just content to look outside the window for the majority of it watching the endless stream of pines lining the interstate as her mother played songs off her playlist.

Neither of them spoke a word to each other, it seemed they were both at a loss of what to say.

As they got off the final exit towards Hexside her mother put on “Free bird” for an attempt at comedy.

The campus was much livelier now but still not at full capacity the older classes who didn’t have summer sports or club practices hadn’t arrived yet. 

The arrival was…. chaotic, a central road led into a courtyard around which stood three dormitories in the center of the courtyard stood a massive magnolia which was belted out in full bloom; it towered at least sixty feet up into the air. There were a bunch of people around it moving between the three dormitories, other people were motioning for cars to drive onto the sidewalk and up the dorms. Once the cars were in front of the dorms there seemed to be an assembly line rapidly picking stuff out of cars and up presumably into the rooms.

The entire scene held a methodical chaos to it, and Luz couldn’t really help but notice that there were no adult staff directing anything around them.

A person, who looked young enough to be a student, signaled to them to drive up to the buildings.  
Another girl smiled at them and trotted on over, Luz rolled down her window “Hiya” the girl greeted cheerfully “Name please?”

“Luz Noceda” she replied

She smiled genuinely “Well hello there, Luz Noceda, I’m Emira and I’d like to officially welcome you to Hexside” her voice was seemed relaxed and jovial.

She flipped through a couple of pages before finally landing on Luz’s room assignment, her eyes widened slightly before looking back at her and smirking almost as if she knew something Luz didn’t. 

“Looks like you’re going to be in Titan dorm, let me get you your key and the ya’ll can drive up to that dorm on the right” She pointed before pulling a box full of neat little parchment packets seemingly out of nowhere, before giving one to Luz. Inside was a key labeled “301”.

She turned now calling out to some of the other students cupping her hand in front of her mouth for dramatic effect “This one’s room 301” 

“What’s with all the people around here?” Luz heard her mother ask

“Oh, you don’t know?” Emira responded “Our football team and the other students already on campus usually help out with moving the new students in, it’s a bit of a tradition here at Hexside”

They drive up into the courtyard and instantly the other students gathered around the car picking up the few foot lockers. Almost instantly everything was already gone, they didn’t even have to lift a finger to move them in. 

“I’m so glad we didn’t have to move all that stuff upstairs” Luz heard her mother mutter

Emria came to check back up on them “Looks like you’re all set cutie, ya’ll can go park nearby, I’ll see you around” She said it with enough confidence that Luz believed she actually meant it somehow. It was a such a brief encounter, yet she felt her face blush for some reason as the older girl walking away to help out with some other student.

They parked the car and started walking towards the dorms again. Her mother put a hand on her shoulder Luz could feel her buzzing with excitement for the very first time that trip. “Let’s go see your new room!”

Student bustled around them hurriedly as they walked up the stairs going to the door labeled “301”

Opening it revealed a small common area with a minifridge, there was enough room present for a couch and TV if desired, flanked across each other on the left and right sides of the room were two doors leading to two additional rooms which were individual bedrooms. All of Luz’s stuff sat neatly in the left one.

It seemed her roommate hadn’t arrived yet as the other room sat empty.

Inside her bedroom was a small wooden desk and chair, along with a small closet and lofted be with a dresser under it.

“Jesus” Her mother sat amazed “This is way better than my undergrad dorm” she turned back to Luz, “Well mija, I guess I should leave soon….so you can unpack”

The walk back to the car was silent. The footsteps seemed to echo on the concrete.

Once they stopped at the car, her mother slammed her into a hard hug. Even now that she wanted it, even now that she felt sorry seeing her mother go, and wanted to say goodbye Luz tensed at the contact before trying her best to return it.

She held back her tears but Camilia wasn’t as successful.

Her mother finally pulled back “Luz I want you to look at me” she felt her mother hold the right side of her face “This is not like last time, if you need to leave this place, then you leave this place, you call me I don’t care what time, I don’t care if I’m in a shift at ICU ,I don’t care if it is midnight, I don’t care about the reason you call me”

“Mami” Luz started, trailing off almost not sure on what to say “I’ll miss you, so much”

The two finished up their goodbyes and Luz waved at the car driving off, watching it recede in the distance. The walk back up to her new room was lonely, despite the several other students around her still moving in.

She closed the front door to her new dorm and thought for a moment on how alone she felt, and it reminded her of how she felt at the beginning of the camp….

Luz paused immediately shoving that thought away, even if she was alone now and didn’t need to act for anyone, she still couldn’t let herself feel these things.

She moved now her new room carefully packing and putting away the clothing she had brought into the closet they provided. Trying to make everything as neat and tidy as possible.

She paused for a moment at one of the footlockers noticing that her mother had packed the watercolor set, and she lingered for a moment on it. It was still wrapped in its plastic packaging, untouched and unopened a faint layer of dust on it.

She heard the main door to the dorm open snapping her out of her thoughts. Right now, Luz just wanted to be alone, and not have to meet some stranger. She quickly jolted up to the door to her own room.

The last thing she saw as she shut the door was a girl, her hair was dyed a bright green similar to Emira’s natural one except for some brown roots in the front, it was tied back into a short ponytail. She had golden eyes that widened slightly once they ran into Luz’s brown ones.

Luz shut the door quickly and maybe a little bit harder than she intended to. Luckily, her roommate didn’t seem keen on introducing herself either as there was no following knock on the door. She was probably getting her own things in organized form the move in as well.

She checked the time, it was 2 in the afternoon, she knew she had an orientation at 5. So, she could probably get in a nap before then.

She laid back on her bed hearing the distant creek of the mattress bellow her, realizing completely and utterly how alone she felt.

It was a feeling she had become very acquainted with; however, it was accompanied by something else now, a vague claustrophobia of being somewhere completely foreign to her once again. 

What was she going to do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kinda based off me moving in my first year of undergrad, hope ya'll liked it!


	3. Held Under These Smothering Waves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amity has difficulties moving in to Hexside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's this week's update! There will be no chapter next week, I've finally got some vacation days at work so I'm going to used them to disappear in the woods for a little bit.

The alarm lurched Amity out of sleep, as she snapped her eyes blinking carefully, looking about her large and spacious room before sighing, and silencing the annoying little clock.

She set about her normal routine, immediately making the bed, it was large and plushy, and was a bit too big for her if she was being honest. Its sheets were a crisp forest green matching the colors of the Blights, which combined with the grey walls made the entire room seem dark.

Amity quickly changed out of her PJs and got dressed before parting her hair into its tight formation. She looked at herself in the mirror, noticing that she looked perfect…well almost perfect, the plain brown hair etched at the edges of her roots just among her forehead mismatching with the Blight green which came naturally to her siblings and her mother.

She was sure the latter would dress her down about it later today.

Amity sighed before stepping out into the hallway it was lined with portraits of the Blights of past. They were portraits of dusty people in fancy clothes with unwelcome stares. They all held the same silent frown she was accustomed to seeing on her mother.

There was little individuality amongst the different rooms of Blight manor, with its sleek grey walls. They matched consistently with the sharp green crown molding and accents. Everything was spotless as it was maintained by a dedicated staff; lined by dainty fancy looking armoires and furniture. 

The hallway led out to a magnificent atrium, which seemed to echo with space, and upon stepping into it the sharp clicks of her shoes onto the hardwood floor brought Amity’s thoughts to her siblings. They had left three weeks ago for Hexside to begin practices for their respective sports, Emira sat as co-leader of the volleyball team while Edric was the star player of the tennis team.

The house never seemed so vast, when they were around to be with her and fill it with noise.

Two massive staircases snaked along the perimeter towards the ground hallway of the atrium. The centerpiece of the atrium hung suspended in the air like a chandelier, it was a glass sculpture of massive flowers choreographed in various shades of the familiar Blight green, it was a Chihuly

Her mother had bought it as a showoff piece to her knowledge.

Bellow the 2nd floor hallway was another entrance leading to the dining room itself a massive room lined by a large live edge wooded table with a black iron base, it was made of a huge slab of single piece black walnut wood. 

The dining room was also lined with massive oil portraits and tapestries mostly of pastoral and farming scenes. It appeared that the irony of fancy oil paintings depicting hard work among such a room had been lost upon generations of Blights.

She found her place at the table where it usually was, the entire silverware and plate set was already set up for her.

The kitchen was hidden from her view, the faint sounds of the staff sat at her periphery, of food being prepped and prepared.

She ate breakfast alone the long massive table once again missing the comfort her siblings provided with their presence. Amity sat in the chair provided for her waiting, it was neat and looked fancy but was uncomfortable. The server opened the door leading to the kitchen he was a tall expressionless slender. He placed a dish of eggs benedict with smoked salmon down in front of her along with some fresh squeezed orange juice. Amity placed her napkin in her lap and began to eat in silence.

When she was finished a staff member walked over to greet her, Amity had become used to their sudden appearances throughout years.

“Your mother has requested your presence miss” he replied politely 

Her mother looked up for a second as she stepped in before continuing to write within her notebook. Amity stood before her; Almira Blight held a look of perpetual disappointment on her face, it was a tight sullen look. Every time Amity looked upon that face, she couldn’t help but look down at her feet trying to avoid eye contact. Her mother sat in her office at a wide custom hard wood desk that seemed to tower throughout the room, writing away at a notebook. 

“You will be going to Hexside today” It was said quietly but seemed loud across the room. “I was wanting to have this conversation before you left” She finally finished writing, clicking the pen closed with a snap, Amity felt the full pressure of her gaze upon her. “I wanted to ensure our intention that there should not be a lapse in your current adequate progress even though you are going away-” It was said calmly and quietly but Amity could hear every word crystal clear.

Her mother kept talking, a ringing sung faintly in Amity’s ear, the room felt so full of pressure, it almost felt like her eardrums would burst.

Amity tired hard to focus, eventually coming back to the words 

“-Your father will be very disappointed; do you understand this?” The faintest of threats was there Amity noted.

“Yes mother” she responded numbly

The pressure lifted, as her mother’s tone turned more businesslike “I’ve scheduled your roommate, it will be Boscha Lark”

Amity thought about Boscha she couldn’t say she was particularly fond of her. She wore her family’s privilege on her shoulder in a way that both her and her siblings did not, she was skilled, but arrogant.

The Larks were another rich family, and Boscha was another skilled kid familiar with enclave of private tutors and minders that were tossed around like trophies among the well-off families in this area. Amity was expected to be with her; to be with the others of her class. Even away at such an elite school she was still trapped.

“And Amity” She turned back to her mother at the doorway, her face was almost in shadow in the distance “You are a Blight, I expect you to succeed do you understand?”

“Yes mother”

“Good you are dismissed”

There was no parental drive over, no sad and heartfelt goodbyes, Amity was instead driven to the school by a driver she didn’t know the name of in a stark black Mercedes e-class. They had arrived early the driver had dutifully carried the luggage into her expected dorm before wordlessly bidding her farewell and driving off.

She had walked up to her pre-scheduled dorm, seeing that the stuff which had been packed for her was sat outside her determined room in the dorms. Shouldn’t the assistant have already brought it inside?

“You’re going to have to move your stuff” A voice said, Boscha appeared behind her.

“But I thought we had a plan, my mother wanted me to be roomed here” Amity said almost panicking

“There’s been a change apparently” Boscha said bluntly “According to the listings we were given, I’m rooming with Skara, we had to move your stuff out of our room, I hope you don’t mind”

“You changed it?” Amity’s flickered down for a moment the brief façade of nonchalance cracking for a moment. “How could you? You could have at least told me” She needed to fix this now, she looked at her phone noting the time, the actual move in period was starting soon, she started walking away quickly, there was once person who could help her.

She heard the faint call out from behind her from Boscha “Amity wait-” But she didn’t listen 

The student housing building stood across at the entrance of campus, Amity speed walked to it.

She opened the doors to the white building, before seeing her sister looking over some papers and keys.

“Boscha switched roommates at the last minute without telling me, I know you’re involved with with student government and housing, I was wondering if you could change it back”

Emira didn’t seem surprised and chuckled “No ‘hello’ sis, it’s a bit late on move in day to be asking for a big change like that isn’t it?” She looked at some papers quickly on the desk “Looks like you’re scheduled for room 301 in the titan dorm” 

Amity sighed her frustration quickly mounting “But mother wanted to me room with Boscha”

“I’m sorry little sis, there’s nothing I can do” She sighed dramatically, Amity didn’t bother to take in the amused looked on her sister’s face.

“But then I’ll have to-“

“Meet someone different, walk among the common folk, move outside of the bubble they’ve made around you?” Emira said interrupting her curiously walking up to her placing a little box of keys aside.

“But mom will-“ She started 

“I’m not sure you understand little sis so let me catch you up” Emira interrupted her again leaning onto her playfully “Hexside is not like home, there are no parents pulling strings, no tutors, no watchers, as long as you keep your grades up they will leave you alone.” She pulled back up now casually strutting away.

“It’s a place to see who you are without them” She pauses for a moment looking back at her sister in the door frame “I wonder what you’ll be” Emira stood out the doorframe holding the papers and the keys “Now if you don’t mind little sis, I’ve got a campus to move in”

Amity sat for a moment looking at the closed door her face turning red in frustration 

“I saw mittens marching over here with that red look she gets when she’s angry” Eric met Emira out of the door “You shifted her didn’t you”

Emira shrugged held a smirk “She needed a push.”

“She forgot to get her new room key form you, didn’t she?” He continued as they started to walk towards the freshmen dorms

“She can come and get it herself”

After a moment of shock Amity began speed walking back to the dorms quickly following her siblings. She almost ran headlong into a familiar face up the communal stairs to retrieve her stuff.

It was Willow Park. This day couldn’t get worse.

Willow looked surprised to see her for a moment, before she frowned. Amity drunk her expression in; it seemed to be mismatched on her face. But what really struck Amity were her eyes, there was not any warmth that she had been accustomed to within them.

“Oh, so you made it here too” Willow started voice almost painfully neutral, sucking energy out of the air “I figured you would be”

The tone surprised Amity but she felt like she had to respond back “I had almost thought you wouldn’t make it”

“Yeah I’m here with special emphasis in botany, turns out I’m not too good at biochemistry like you” She started to walk past her not looking back. “That doesn’t matter anyway though does it? Looks like I’m just as good as you Blight I’m here aren’t I?” 

Amity turned watching the other girl go noticing how Willow’s fists were clinched. That barb hurt more than Amity had thought it would. 

Amity did eventually get some of the students helping to move her stuff it was an entire dorm over, but the door to had been locked by whomever was her roommate and no one answered upon knocking, so they left it all in a neat little pile outside the door. Now Amity had to thump all the way back to the courtyard to get her key. 

She got it frustratingly from her sister, who held the neat little packet up expectantly with a smirk.

As Amity marched away, she heard her taunt “I saw your new roomie”, she couldn’t help but comment, “She looks like a real cutie.”

Amity finally opened the door with a click, opening to an empty common area, which seemed small to her. Her eyes quickly moved around the room noticing that her roommate hadn’t stocked it with anything so far.

If all else fails, she could probably do that herself if needed. That would probably be better anyway, who knew what kind of roommate she had.

As she was looking around Amity caught the eyes of her new roommate poking out.

She had an interesting look about her; the crisp brown eyes met Amity’s gold ones for a distinct clear moment. Amity couldn’t help but notice, those eyes held a deep melancholy that made Amity’s frustration at the situation settle.

The other girl moved quickly, almost seeming spooked by her presence, before jolting the door closed with a ‘thud’. A quick sound of the door being locked followed. Amity stared at the locked wood somewhat puzzled as to what had led to the girl’s abrupt reaction, did she know who she was or something?

She sighed, that was a question for another time. Today was already rough enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope y'all liked it! Hopefully I'll continue it


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